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Stumbling Block
What Does the
Bible Say About
DRINKING WINE?
Couples In
Christ, 12/6/92 DMK, TAK
Background
Thoughts
Is there any
truth to the statement, “Too much of a good thing”? The Bible does speak about
excess, both pro and con. We’re told that God desires to do “exceedingly
abundantly” beyond all that we ask of Him (Eph. 3:20), and that we are to
outdo each other in loving one another. We can’t out give God, nor can we
obey His commands too much! But, we can store up too much for ourselves (Luke
12:18-20). And we are told to apply moderation in our actions.
O.K, Now What
About Wine?
Let’s make a list
of a few things, which by themselves are neither good nor bad; their value
depends on how we use them, to what degree, and whether or not our use of them
affects others.
|
|
|
Good Use
|
Poor Use |
|
1. |
Money |
Giving,
helping, providing, investing.
|
Greed,
extravagance, stingy. |
|
2. |
Food
|
Moderate,
balanced use; strength, health.
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Overindulge;
poor health. |
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3. |
Wine |
Optional,
cautious use, if at all.
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Addicting;
can produce drunkenness. |
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4. |
Music |
Song of
praise, enjoyment.
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Stimulate
wrong desires. |
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5. |
Passion |
Pursuing
things of God; strong convictions about Biblical standards. |
Lust, wrong
pursuits. |
The thing about
wine which makes it of a special concern to us is its potential for physical
(chemical) addiction, resulting in excessive use. The Bible does not identify
any special benefits of drinking wine, although its customary use in Biblical
times is recognized (even to the point of bringing it as a “drink offering” to
the Lord – Numbers 15:7, etc.). But many warning are given about the excessive
use of wine. Here is a cross section of scripture to illustrate this:
OLD TESTAMENT
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Lev. 10:9
(NIV) |
(Spoken to
priests)
You and
your sons are not to drink wine or other fermented drink whenever you
go into the Tent of Meeting, or you will die. This is a lasting ordinance
for the generations to come.
|
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Num. 6:2-3
(NIV) |
(Moses to the
Israelites)
Speak to
the Israelites and say to them: 'If a man or woman wants to make a special
vow, a vow of separation to the LORD as a Nazirite, 3 he
must abstain from wine and other fermented drink and must not drink
vinegar made from wine or from other fermented drink. He must not drink
grape juice or eat grapes or raisins.
|
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Dt. 29:5-6
(NASB) |
I have led
you forty years in the wilderness; your clothes have not worn out on you,
and your sandal has not worn out on your foot. 6 "You have
not eaten bread, nor have you drunk wine or strong drink, in order
that you might know that I am the
LORD your God.
|
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Judges 13 |
(Samson’s
mother) |
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vs. 4
(NIV) |
Now see to
it that you drink no wine or other fermented drink and that you do
not eat anything unclean, |
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vs. 7 |
But he
said to me, 'You will conceive and give birth to a son. Now then, drink no
wine or other fermented drink and do not eat anything unclean,
because the boy will be a Nazirite of God from birth until the day of his
death.'
|
|
vs. 14 |
She must
not eat anything that comes from the grapevine, nor drink any wine or
other fermented drink nor eat anything unclean. She must do everything I
have commanded her.
|
|
Prov. 20:1
(NIV) |
Wine
is a mocker
and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.
|
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Prov. 23:20
(NIV) |
Do not
join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat,
|
|
Prov.
23:29-30
(NIV) |
Who has
woe? Who has sorrow?
Who has strife? Who has complaints?
Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
Those who
linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine.
|
|
Isaiah 28:7
(NIV) |
(Priests)
And these
also stagger from wine and reel from beer: Priests and prophets
stagger from beer and are befuddled with wine; they reel from beer, they
stagger when seeing visions, they stumble when rendering decisions.
|
|
Isaiah 29:9
(NIV) |
(Priests
under God’s influence)
Be stunned
and amazed, blind yourselves and be sightless; be drunk, but not from
wine, stagger, but not from beer.
|
|
Jer. 35 |
(Part of
Judah called Rachabites, who set themselves apart) |
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vs. 6
(NIV) |
But they
replied, "We do not drink wine, because our forefather Jonadab son of
Recab gave us this command: 'Neither you nor your descendants must ever
drink wine. |
|
vs. 8 |
We have
obeyed everything our forefather Jonadab son of Recab commanded us. Neither
we nor our wives nor our sons and daughters have ever drunk wine
|
|
vs. 14 |
'Jonadab
son of Recab ordered his sons not to drink wine and this command has
been kept. To this day they do not drink wine, because they obey their
forefather's command. But I have spoken to you again and again, yet you have
not obeyed me.
|
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Eze. 44:21
(NIV) |
No priest
is to drink wine when he enters the inner court.
|
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Dan. 1:8
(NIV) |
But Daniel
resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he
asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.
|
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Dan 10:3
(NIV) |
I ate no
choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions
at all until the three weeks were over. |
|
|
|
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NEW TESTAMENT |
|
|
|
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Rom. 14:1-5 |
(Addresses
legalism)
|
|
Rom 14:21
(NIV) |
It is
better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will
cause your brother to fall.
|
|
1 Cor. 10:31
(NIV) |
So
whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
|
|
Eph. 5:18
(NIV) |
Do not
get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the
Spirit.
|
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1 Tim. 3:8
(NIV) |
Deacons,
likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much
wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain.
|
|
1 Tim. 5:23
(NIV) |
Stop
drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach
and your frequent illnesses.
|
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Titus 2:3
(NIV) |
Likewise,
teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be
slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good.
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Drawing
Conclusions
Do you see a
pattern here? Wine itself is not evil, nor is its use
automatically condemned by God. But notice that when God called someone for a
special purpose (Moses, Samson’s mother, priests, men/women making special vows,
etc.) He told them not to drink wine. For that mater, he told them not to do
anything that would pollute their relationship with Him. Summarizing this,
We should
not drink wine or alcoholic beverages when they have the effect of diluting or
interrupting our relationship with God.
A final clear
instruction from the Lord deals with respecting your brother’s view. We are not
to do anything that will cause another Christian (or non-believer) to stumble
(see Rom. 14:21). We could say it this way:
We should
not drink wine or alcoholic beverages when, in the view of our brother or
sister, it is wrong.
Ask the Lord for
a clear conscience, and do what He tells you is O.K. to do, in agreement with
His word.
© copyright 1992, Daniel Kinnoin
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